Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

DATE=02/15/03

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=NY/PRO-WAR DEMONSTRATION (l-ONLY)

NUMBER=2-299686

BYLINE=JAMES DONAHOWER

DATELINE=NEW YORK

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: As tens of thousands of people flooded the streets of New York City Saturday to protest a possible war with Iraq, a much smaller group held a demonstration in support of the war. James Donahower was there.

TEXT: ///NAT SOUND FROM RALLY///

Demonstators are chanting "We gave peace a chance, We got nine-one-one", nine-one-one meaning September 11th, and they say their aim is to offer an alternative opinion to that of the many hundreds of anti-war protesters marching near-by.

Richard Sawicki stood behind a wall of placards bearing the phrases, "good Americans support the commander-in-chief", "support U-S troops abroad", and "this is Saddam's war." He says the anti-war demonstrators are missing the point.

///SAWICKI ACT///

We have a powder keg that's going to blow up in our faces if we do not lead the international community in dealing with it. I'm here to support the President and the administration.

///END ACT///

Mr. Sawicki was among more than 50 people on hand in support of a war to remove Saddam Hussein. A common theme that emerged in the group was anger at the lack of unanimous support for a war within the U-N Security Council. One man held a placard saying, "France is intellectually ignorant". Another member declared the French violently anti-American, and announced she was boycotting French products.

But Paul Diperna, a nearby demonstrator, says international dissent -- within and without the United Nations Security Council -- is no cause for concern.

///DIPERNA ACT///

That doesn't concern me at all. I think the French and the Germans are pretty much irrelevant. They're not important, they don't do anything in the world now. If it wasn't for the French veto power in the Security Council, they'd be a nothing power. They'd be like Germany.

///END ACT///

The group engaged in frequent shouting matches with members of the anti-war protest as they headed for various rally points.

The demonstration was organized by FreeRepublic-dot-com, a conservative group that supports the removal of Saddam Hussein from power.(Signed)

NEB/NYC/JAD/PT